


the one with four pumpkin pies

by skioctober



Series: ode to self-indulgence [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Meeting the Parents, Self-Insert, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner, also lots of pie, like a lot of pie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 10:29:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18915121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skioctober/pseuds/skioctober
Summary: Thanksgiving is an interesting affair.





	the one with four pumpkin pies

**Author's Note:**

> This is where, in my opinion, all the good stuff really starts happening. Also you may, like myself, start craving pie after this and I apologize in advance.
> 
> As always, please enjoy and leave any feedback you may have!

.

.

.

.

.

 

Thanksgiving is an interesting affair.

Alyssa's dinner turns out wonderfully, to no one's surprise. The turkey is cooked to perfection without incident, and Steve had arrived early to help with the other preparations.

He'd tried to put on some Christmas music, but Alyssa nixed that. Anna always started Christmas the day after Halloween and had been going wild with it. Alyssa needed a break – she would begin her Yuletide celebration tomorrow.

James is a quiet presence in the kitchen, helping here and there in between sips of iced tea. She'd noticed he liked his with lemon, as Anna did, and kept it on hand for him.

Anna comes barreling in the door around eleven, arms laden with all the pies she'd made. Chocolate for Dad, apple for Alyssa, cherry for Steve, and three or four pumpkin pies for whoever wanted them (namely their mother and herself).

“Happy Thanksgiving!” she chirps, gratefully allowing Steve to take the box of pies off her hands. “It's cold as shit outside, I love it. Smells great in here, too, by the way.”

“Thanks,” Alyssa says, handing her a wine glass. “Here.”

Anna brightens.

“Ooh, I'm allowed to day-drink this year?” She accepts the glass and takes a sip. “I thought I was banned from doing that at family gatherings.”

“We have two beefcake Army vets around to contain you now, so it shouldn't be a problem.”

James perks up, curious. “Why did you get banned in the first place?”

“I was still in my feelings and got wine drunk at the family Christmas Eve party. It was fun, actually, until Nana and a couple of our aunts got huffy.”

“Tell him why you got _banned_ , though,” Alyssa says, slyly amused as she leans against the island counter.

Anna grins. “I told Aunt Heather to kiss my lily-white ass, because I was celebrating the birth of baby Jesus. Then I puked on the carpet.”

“ _After_ you tried to fight Jason with a pool stick and knocked over the punch bowl.”

Anna toasts the memory with her riesling. “Best Christmas Eve I ever had.”

Steve and James can only laugh, looking torn between wonder and amusement.

“Will you be allowed to go to this year's party?” Steve asks, eyebrows raised.

Anna shrugs. “Like they'd tell me no? I'm the beloved first grandchild, Nana won't turn me out. But I was thinking of going to New York with you three. I don't mean to intrude, but AJ mentioned she was nervous and wanted to know if I'd go along with her.”

Steve smiles gently. “She's got nothing to be nervous about, but we'd love to bring you with us. Buck and I could take you girls all over.”

“We're renting a car, too,” Alyssa adds. “We tried to book a flight, but the airlines are slam-full until after New Year's.”

“Too many people comin' and goin' for the holiday,” James agrees.

“Well that works out fine. I've already put in for the time off, so I'll just chip in for the gas and help y'all out.”

“Yay! I won't have to go all alone!”

Steve rolls his eyes, kisses the top of her head. “You wouldn't be alone, you know.”

“I know,” she laughs. “But you know what I mean.”

A loud knock sounds on the door, which opens to admit their parents.

“Where's everybody at?” calls their father, already wandering toward them.

“In the kitchen!” Alyssa hollers back.

John Sellers ambles into the room, sniffing the air exaggeratedly. “Something smells nummy in here. Hello, girly-wirlies!”

He hooks first Anna, then Alyssa, into a tight hug, squeezing them a moment before passing them off to their mother.

Steve has already come around the counter, hand out. “Steve Rogers. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sellers.”

John shakes his hand firmly. “Nice to meet you, son.”

“Alyssa's told me a lot about you both, I've been looking forward to meeting you.”

“She's told me plenty about you, too. Thank you for your service,” John says, seriously, and turns to include James. “Both of you.”

Surprised, and a little embarrassed, James politely offers his hand as well. “Thank you, sir. James Barnes.”

John accepts his hand, then claps them both on the shoulder. “Well, boys, welcome to the family.”

Both men blink, as surprised as the girls are by John's easy acceptance. Truthfully, they'd expected more of a grilling from the man, and certainly weren't prepared for John to include James.

But John doesn't let them gawk for long, quickly getting back to the matter at hand. “So, AJ, is any of this food ready to eat?”

Snapping to, Alyssa flies into motion. “Yeah, we can eat now. Steve, darlin', could you get the plates down?”

The table is set within minutes. Steve puts the turkey out and, after saying the blessing, John expertly carves it up.

Alyssa's table is only big enough to seat four at a time, so Anna and James graciously find places at the island once it's cleared off.

“I feel bad,” Alyssa says, frowning at them from the table.

Anna waves her off. “It's fine. They're here to meet Steve anyway. Let James and me eat our dinner in peace.”

And they do.

While Steve continues to charm John and Deanna, Anna enjoys the delicious food her sister slaved over. She even eats the cranberry sauce off James's plate when he only picks at it.

They've been getting along well since Halloween. They sometimes meet up with Steve and Alyssa, even taking it in stride when they inevitably get left behind on their own.

Anna has always been a thinker, certainly an overthinker, and hasn't been able to get James, or the night of the party, off her mind.

She'd hoped Thanksgiving might provide some distraction, since her parents were going to be fawning over Steve, but that seems to have backfired. Now all the attention is on Steve and Alyssa, leaving Anna and James to their own devices.

But it's a holiday, and she hasn't seen her parents in weeks, so she shoves those thoughts away and focuses on the food, the drink, the company. She's happy that her parents are so welcoming of Steve – and James – and that genuine pleasure helps ground her.

She listens as Steve regales her parents with stories of his time in the Army, happier ones, and of growing up in Brooklyn. John makes some good-natured jokes about his daughter dating a Yankee, but Steve is so affable it blows right over.

They while away the afternoon like this, eating and talking and laughing. It's nice, and Anna easily loses herself in it, even talking to James without the weight of her unresolved emotions.

By four, their mother is dozing on the couch and John is telling the guys one of his many childhood stories – the time his cousin shot the neighbor's prized rooster, if the shotgun impression is anything to go by – while Anna and Alyssa tidy up the kitchen.

“That went really well,” Anna says, stacking Tupperware neatly in the fridge. Not as many leftovers this year, with three grown men chowing down.

“I know, I'm so glad.” Alyssa wipes down the sink, having finished the last of the supper dishes. “I've been freaking out about it all week.”

Anna smiles. “Did you really think Dad wouldn't like Steve? He's the epitome of “all-American”. Honestly, Dad might have picked Steve out for you if you'd given him half a chance.”

Alyssa stretches and twists her neck to crack the joints, making Anna shudder. “Yeah, yeah. I couldn't help it. But I'm glad they're getting along. Steve's actually paying attention to those stories, too, bless his heart.”

Anna laughs quietly. “He really is a sweet man. Did you remember to buy coffee?”

“Oh, yeah. Steve drinks it almost as much as you do, so I've been keeping it on hand. And, since he's an old man just like you, I have an actual coffee pot instead of a Keurig.”

“Well, that's just perfect. I'll get a pot going if you'll start cutting up those pies.”

“I can't believe you made this many,” Alyssa says as she starts pulling pies from the fridge.

“I figured it was better to have and not need. You know Dad'll eat that chocolate pie by himself, he does every year, and I assumed Steve would do the same.”

“Yeah, but _four_ pumpkin pies?”

Anna shrugs, guiltless. “I like pumpkin pie.”

“You _are_ a pumpkin pie,” Alyssa mutters, pulling out a stack of dessert plates. “Did you bring the whipped cream for Mom?”

“Of course,” Anna scoffs, measuring coffee into the filter. “What do you take me for? I made it myself, and I brought a tub of Cool Whip in case the homemade stuff runs out.”

“Well, excuse me for asking. I mean, it's not like you've _never_ forgotten to bring it before.”

“That was _one_ time!”

“And you will never hear the end of it.”

They bicker back and forth while they work, both enjoying it immensely. Alyssa plates up slices of pie for everyone according to flavor, and makes sure to heap the cream onto Deanna's plate.

“Go on and take those,” Anna says, pulling cups down from the cabinet. “I'll bring out the coffee when it's done.”

Alyssa vanishes into the living room, and Anna is left to watch the coffee percolate into the pot. Keurig machines are convenient, but she enjoys the ritual of filling the reservoir and measuring the grounds.

The smell of brewing coffee is rich in the air, and takes her back twenty years to her grandmother's kitchen. It's a warm memory.

She watches idly as the coffee drips down, her thoughts meandering in no particular direction. The clouds outside break enough for watery sunshine to spill into the kitchen.

Her father's raucous laughter booms in the living room, prompting Alyssa to scold him for disturbing the neighbors. Anna smiles to herself.

James comes through the doorway just as the last drop of coffee is squeezed off.

“Need any help?” he offers, setting his plate aside on the island.

“Sure.” Anna fills two cups, leaves them black. “Will you take these out to Dad and Steve?”

“Yeah. Any more?”

“No, Mother and AJ hardly touch the stuff.”

“Okay, I'll be right back.”

Anna pours her own cup – two creams, two sugars – and for James heaps a pile of sugar into a cup of black coffee.

She wonders when she learned his preference.

When James returns, his cup is steaming in front of his seat at the island and Anna is slapping an enormous slice of pie onto his plate.

“Thanks.” He lifts the cup and takes a sip, eyes the plate hopefully. “That for me?”

“Might be,” Anna hedges, cutting almost as big a slab for herself. “But you'll have to eat it in here with me.”

James hides his grin behind another sip of coffee. “Guess I could do that.”

He settles into the chair, accepts the pie when she slides it over to him. “This is good stuff.”

“Better than Steve's?” Anna asks dryly, not really expecting an answer. Steve's culinary prowess is unparalleled.

James chews thoughtfully for a moment. “Yes, but don't you ever tell him I said that.”

Anna beams, pleasantly surprised. “I'll take it to my grave. Scout's honor.”

He snorts, shovels another bite into his mouth, and silence lapses between them.

It's broken up by the clinking of silverware and they enjoy the peace, smiling occasionally when stray bits of John and Steve's conversation float into the kitchen, punctuated by Alyssa's laughter.

“Your folks are real nice,” James murmurs, sliding his plate over and picking up his coffee.

“They are,” she agrees, warmed by the compliment. “Dad's mellowed out a lot these last few years, too. I'm glad he likes y'all so much.”

James nods. “Steve was worried about that. Told him he had no reason to be.”

“Of course not, he's wonderful! I was saying to Alyssa earlier that if Dad'd had the choice he probably would have picked Steve out himself.”

“He was nervous because Alyssa means so much to him. Didn't want to fuck up the good thing they got goin'.”

Anna melts. “What a sweetheart. I'm glad they met, they're good for each other.”

“Lucky your sister's got guts of steel, otherwise he'd still be mooning over her in that diner.”

Anna laughs. “God, I love that story. Big ol' Army Captain Steve too shy to ask my sister on a date.”

“Wasn't always like he is now, though. Used to be small and skinny, one puff of wind would knock him over. Couldn't hardly get a girl to look twice at him and it's hard to break that mentality.”

“I could see that, I suppose. One more reason for him and Dad to get along, too. Dad was real sick like that growing up.”

“Practically fate.”

They share a smile and for a moment Anna actually allows herself to bask in the sweetness of it. She starts to ask if he'd like more coffee, when John's voice calls out.

“Annabelle, y'all get in here and visit with us. Thanksgiving ain't the time to be antisocial.”

Anna shares a wry look with James, rolls her eyes good-naturedly. “Yes, sir!”

“Guess we've been summoned.” James grins, carrying their dishes to the sink.

“Guess so. Better head in there, before he comes to get us himself. Shall we?”

James motions for her to go ahead of him. “After you.”

 

.

.

.

.

.

 


End file.
